‘Shooting at wrong target’ whilst housing crisis gets worse The HBF today slammed the Parliamentary Private Members Bill to be presented on Friday by Andrew Dismore MP as both a waste of Parliamentary time and a demonstration of the lack of understanding of housing issues by some MP’s. The Bill by the Labour MP for Hendon requests that under the planning system ‘special regard shall be had to the desirability of preserving gardens and urban green spaces” - powers every single Local Authority already has under existing planning rules whereby they are allowed to take into account any consideration they feel necessary when assessing a planning application and setting policy. Mr Dismore’s Bill misses the much bigger point that the country has a major housing shortage with insufficient homes being built, many people struggling to enter the housing market and the waiting list for affordable homes approaching five million. The essential precondition for meeting this scale of housing requirement is an improved supply of land for new homes through the planning system. Local Authorities face difficult choices in determining where to build necessary new homes. They may choose to grant planning applications for garden sites as it is the only way to supply much needed housing in a manner that is not detrimental to the local character. Such building is often important for smaller local firms which provide much needed local employment. Speaking today HBF’s Planning Director Andrew Whitaker said; “It is extremely disappointing that at a time when we have an increasing housing supply crisis a MP would devote valuable parliamentary time to promoting a Bill which is both unnecessary and will do nothing to help those needing homes. MPs should be exploring why house building has dropped to the lowest level since World War 2 at a time when 1.8 million families are registered on Local Authority housing waiting lists. Addressing how we supply enough land on which to build the homes we desperately need, and the chronic shortage of mortgage availability, would be a far better use of legislative and parliamentary time that could result in huge social and economic benefit. When scoring opportunities are in short supply it is vital to shoot at the right target.” The important role that properly adopted local plans can play in ensuring back garden development is managed to ensure outcomes that meet and balance local needs was highlighted in research published by the Department for Communities and Local Government in January. At the time, Housing Minister John Healey said, “Councils already have the tools they need to deal with this issue.” Dismore’s Bill will have its second reading this Friday, March 5. It will require a further three Parliamentary stages before passing across to the House of Lords for five readings. If it passes all those stages it will then be considered for Royal assent. ---Ends--- For media enquiries, or to arrange an interview, please contact Steve Turner on 020 7960 1606 / 07919 307 760 or steve.turner@hbf.co.uk Notes to Editors: 1. The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the principal representative body for private sector home builders and voice of the home building industry in England and Wales. The HBF’s 300 member firms account for some 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies: www.hbf.co.uk 2. The Department for Communities published research by Kingston University on Garden developments: understanding the issues on 19 January 2010.
